FMF - Friends of Minerals Forum, discussion and message board

[ploum]

All pictures are now on my website here :
https://www.alpinismeetmineraux.fr/mineralogie/bourses/munich2012/munich01.htm
(link normalized by FMF)

[Pierre Joubert]

Mr Ploum, you are a champ! Thank you for all your beautiful photos :-)

[ploum]

Thanks a lot, tomorrow last photo from this region. And come back in my home for others photos ;) but in a studio.

[Jordi Fabre]

Barcelona 11/01/2012

Due the problems created for our server failure yesterday, I should divide my comments. Now I will publish a short note with some images and this weekend the rest.

Munich 2012 was in my opinion one of the poorest Shows in terms of novelties ever. In the other side, a lot of superb specimens from classics, old collections, and recent finds. So, this time the topic of the Show wasn't this or that novelty but the prices! ;-)
I will develop this topic in my next post, but as other people already commented in other sites, the break between the "best" specimens/dealers and the rest of the collectors is becoming enormous and it seems that the hobby it could announce a kind of fracture between the "modest" or field collectors and the "elite" collecting wonderful (but quite expensive) world class specimens.

Returning to the novelties, as always happens in a so large Show like Munich, here and there some small new find appear to make happy us, the "noveltie's yonkies".
For me, the main of these novelties were the incredible Hydroboracites from Kohnstein Quarry, Niedersachswerfen, Nordhausen, Harz, Thuringia, Germany. Largely the world's best in my opinion... I would like also point a bonanza of cobaltian Calcites from Morocco as well as some unusual new "poker chip" Calcites with Pyrite from El Hamman mine, and a new flow of sky blue Barytes from Ouichane, all from Morocco. From China new, very aesthetic, scalenohedral Calcites covered by iridescent Pyrite from maybe Daye? and new Phenakites on/and octahedral Fluorite from the indefatigable Huanggang mines as well as hundreds of (mostly broken) Chalcopyrites with Siderite with very, very, few samples of extraordinary epitactic Tetrahedrite-Chalcopyrite. From South America a new supply of fine green Augelites with Hübnerite and Quartz from Tamboras Mine, few new nice golds from San Luis Mining area, Chala, Peru, and from Congo some small pockets with attractive Azurites from Kimbwe, Kinsevere district, Congo.

Some photos below to share with FMErs, waiting the weekend to complete my vision of Munich 2012.

[Matt_Zukowski]

In case anyone doesn't know about Federico Barlocher and the movies he puts up on youtube, he just put one up on this show:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1ZlYlhH8lo
(link normalized by FMF)

I about fell out of my chair when i saw the giant rhodo specimen at 10:45!

[ploum]

some photo of bavaria

[valere]

Superb report!
Here is one of the 13 good new Congolese RDC azurites (Kinsevere district)! I took 2 of them and called John who jumped on all the others, including the largest crystals with luster! Although a batch of specimens landed in Springfield, some of the Munich pieces seem superior, And if new one are found, we might have a new worldclass locality for azurite!

[valere]

Last year, warm wind going down the montains, this year fresh snow! Here is a pic near Munich taken on monday, my rest day

[Jesse Fisher]

Snowing in the Marienplatz, Saturday evening.

[Jean Sendero]

[Susan Robinson]

Well said, Jordi! I think this discussion is long overdue, and I look forward to other collectors' comments. The "gap" you speak of is becoming very evident, and middle-of-the-road collectors I fear are not attending shows as before.

[Matteo_Chinellato]

I not remember to have the USA citizenship

[Matteo_Chinellato]

Here is the biggest Pezzottaite exposed in Munich

[Ru Smith]

[Matteo_Chinellato]

3.8 x 3.1 cm